Under item C2-e (lowest elevation of machinery or equipment servicing the building), should we include well pumps and septic pumps or not.
Depends. Are they submersible pumps? If not, then they could fail during flood conditions resulting in problems both during and after the flood.
I would say no.
"Item C2.e Enter the lowest platform elevation of at least 1 of the following machinery and equipment items: elevators and their associated equipment, furnaces, hot water heaters, heat pumps, and air conditioners"
But in my experience, extra information has never been a problem. So if you think it should be in the comments, put it there with a good explanation. Often it is insurance companies that are using these, so cover all the bases (and your a$$). 😉
Elevation certificates are used for 2 purposes, flood insurance and community compliance. FEMA has instructions on how to fill out the front page of the EC. What many surveyors don’t understand is that communities can go above and beyond the FEMA requirements, such as free board and all mechanical equipment and all components be at or above the BFE rather than the 5 items Scott mentioned. Another example is some communities require the bottom of the I-beam on a mobile home to be at or above the BFE where FEMA only requires the finish floor.
Use FEMA's instructions for the first page and the comment section to explain any extra community required items. If you don't check with a community about the possibility of the extra requirements you could be filling out the EC wrong.
Good point Lamon. I will add to your comment with the fact that some state or local codes for new construction have requirements of there own. Here in Michigan, new constructions must be 1 foot above the BFE.
Most of those pieces of machinery are meant to be submerged in water. You could put it in the notes.
